Paisley Cinema


	When the Regal Cinema was finally demolished in March 2009 it brought to an end the last vestiges of a glorious era of cinema in Paisley. An era that saw no fewer than eight picture houses running simultaneously. Of these eight only one facade remains although the cinema behind is long gone.




	The entrance to the Paisley Picture House on the High Street,now the entrance to the Paisley Centre.

One of the earliest Picture Houses was the Royal Animated Pictures at Paisley Cross - this was later to be the sight of the Glen Cinema - one of the worst disasters to beset Paisley.

It wasn’t until the 1930’s that cinema in Paisley really took off.

On the High Street we had the Picture House, the La Scala and further along The Regal.

Lawn Street had the Astoria ( affectionally called the Bug-Hut) and in Weighhouse Close was the Palladium.

Further out there was the Kelburne in Glasgow Road, the New Alex in Orr Street,in the South Side, and The West End Cinema in the West End .

History

• Glen Cinema Disaster

• Paisley Picture Houses

• The Paisley Witch Trial

• The Russell Institute

• The Paisley Snail

• St Mirren FC

• The Paisley Rocketeers

• Old Paisley :-

• This Old House

One by one all these cinema closed down. The La Scala, Picture House, and Regal all became Bingo Halls before they were demolished

When the La Scala.was being demolished a roof collapsed killing two of the workmen.

The West End Cinema was latterly a pool hall before it too was demolished and flats built in its place.

The Palladium too was demolished to make way for the Paisley Centre Car Park after being a warehouse for a local furniture store.

A mysterious fire destroyed the Kelbune Cinema shortly after it closed and retirement flats were built on the site with undue haste.




		La Scala at Paisley Cross one of the first “talkies”

But now with the formation of the Paisley Film Society efforts are underway to bring cinema back to the heart of Paisley.

The Paisley Film Society was started on 28th April 2009 and secured some funding to show a short selection of films at the Reid Kerr College. The Society feel Paisley needs a Community Cinema, that will not compete with the big multiplexes, but offer an alternative flexible and locally dictated programme.

In addition to getting the Film Society up and running, they are trying to secure a purpose built cinema for the town. The mobile cinema - Screen Machine - has been retired by the Highland and Island Arts Council, having replaced it with a newer version. The cinema, once refurbished, would hold around 96, with a new screen, surround sound, big cinema seats, new flooring, everything except the projection itself replaced or renovated. Its a fantastic opportunity for Paisley, and the Film Society does have a good chance to get it for the town. They have had fantastic support from the Glasgow Film Theatre, and many many other key people.

Linda Mundell, one of the principal founders, was recently out on the streets of Paisley polling people to find out if the residents of (and visitors to) Paisley and Renfrewshire would welcome the return of a Cinema or a Film Society. The result was a resounding 'yes!', with 80 of the 100 people polled saying they would like to see something like this return to the town centre.

To help support this venture or for further information go to www.paisleyfilmsociety.com


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